


Oh, all the possibilities

by Andramion



Series: Zine works [5]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged Up, College AU, Crushes, Flat-hunting, Fluff, Getting Together, I forgot that synesthesia tsukki isnt canon lol, Other, Synesthesia, again; well sort of at least, introspective fluff, well; almost at least
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-26
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-11-05 23:53:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17928755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andramion/pseuds/Andramion
Summary: He’d gotten on the train early that morning and spent most of the day going from apartment to apartment, trying to find something suitable. Still, after visiting almost a dozen places today, Kei still hasn’t found any that he’d be even slightly willing to take. All of them are too far from uni, too dirty, too expensive or have too many housemates.He’s lucky Akaashi offered to let him stay over so he can go for another round tomorrow.





	Oh, all the possibilities

“Tsukishima-kun?”

There’s a quiet knock on the door accompanying the soft yellow-orange of Akaashi’s voice which drifts towards Kei from the other side of the room.

“Just a second,” Kei responds, only raising his voice a little. He pulls his joggers all the way up and frowns at having to tie them tighter. He didn’t think he’d still be skinnier than Akaashi. With a huff, he slips his feet into the borrowed slippers and ties the strings while he walks over to the bedroom door.

“Akaashi-san,” he greets them again as he opens the door. He has to adjust the height of his gaze to meet Akaashi’s eyes, still expecting anyone he talks to to be smaller than they are. The corner of their mouth quirks up a little when they give Kei a once-over – not a real smile, but enough of one for Kei to count it.

“You’re too tall,” they say, nodding down at Kei’s feet to point out the way Kei’s ankles are left completely bare. And then they smirk for real and Kei _knows_ it’s because _they_ know that Kei can’t bring himself to reply with ‘or maybe you’re just too short’ the way he would if it were Kuroo or Bokuto.

It doesn’t irk Kei as much as it normally would – and _that’s_ what really does annoy him.

“Dinner’s ready,” Akaashi continues, and Kei follows them into the small living room-kitchen combination to settle at the table he’d set just before when Akaashi started cooking. He shuffles around in his seat, trying to get comfortable. He doesn’t like feeling like a guest, though he supposes it’s better to be the guest of someone he knows than anyone else.

He does wonder how well he knows Akaashi, though. Looking around the living room, there are mismatching pillow strewn across the two chairs and sofa, a soft rug folded up over the back of one seat. There’s a wobbly stack of books next to one of the chairs that is being used as a side table, judging from the two mugs precariously balanced on top.

Akaashi’s apartment is cosy, if Kei had to describe it one word and wasn’t allowed to use _messy._

It’s not at all what Kei had expected. None of the sleek, modern style he would have associated with them, no abstract art hanging from the walls or weirdly shaped vases in sight. Kei isn’t sure why that was the expectation he’d had – he does realise that Akaashi is only a year older than him and a student on top of that – but now that he’s here, he can’t imagine Akaashi in any place other than this messy, mismatched home.

Kei likes the art prints they’ve hung – blu-tacked, not framed – on the walls; adores the softness the whole place exudes. There’s something very inviting about it, and Kei is surprised to find himself relaxing in a way he doesn’t often do outside of his own room.

“Here you go,” Akaashi interrupts Kei’s assessment of their belongings. Kei looks over his shoulder and leans back to watch them put a plate of stir-fried vegetables and tofu on the table, then a bowl of rice next to it. After bringing over their own portion, they walk around the table and sit across from him.

Kei can feel Akaashi’s eyes on him when he picks up his chopsticks after thanking them for the food. He’s half expecting Akaashi to ask him how the food is, but as soon as Kei has taken his first mouthful, they dig in as well.

They eat in silence, but Kei doesn’t mind it. He appreciates the quiet after the noise of the city all day. He’d gotten on the train early that morning and spent most of the day going from apartment to apartment, trying to find something suitable. Still, after visiting almost a dozen places today, Kei still hasn’t found any that he’d be even slightly willing to take. All of them are too far from uni, too dirty, too expensive or have too many housemates.

He’s lucky Akaashi offered to let him stay over so he can go for another round tomorrow.

“So no luck at all today?” they ask after dinner, when Kei is draining the sink after washing up. Akaashi is just putting away the last bowl.

“None,” Kei replies. He sighs as he leans back against the counter. “I know I’m lucky my parents are willing to pay my rent for me, but I don’t think I’ll get anything decent at this rate. Maybe I’ll just have to…”

He hadn’t noticed, but while he was looking at the ceiling, Akaashi had walked back over to him. They’re much closer than Kei had expected them to be. For a second, Kei forgets what he was going to say, attention caught by the curve of Akaashi’s lips.

“… get a part time job,” he finishes, raising his gaze to Akaashi’s eyes and wondering for the umpteenth time what thoughts are going through their head. He’s never been able to get a good read on them, not away from the court, away from volleyball and tactics.

During his first year, his attention at the training camps had mostly been on Bokuto and Kuroo. They were loud, present, charismatic. With them, Kei had been pulled in before he even realised it, ending up leaving with more phone contacts than he’d had when he arrived. It had taken him a while to realise Akaashi’s number had been saved as well.

After that, after Bokuto and Kuroo had moved on from high school… Hinata still dragged Kei to the third gym for extra practice as soon as they were done with their first day of the training camp. Kei had insisted that it was nonsense to go, that nobody would be there anyway and, well, he’d been surprised to hear Akaashi’s voice coming from inside the gym.

They’d done extra practice, with Hinata and Haiba and a few first years from Fukurodani that Akaashi had encouraged. Eventually, Kei introduced one of Karasuno’s first years to the group, and he still isn’t sure what the look Akaashi had given him had meant.

Now, they’re standing in front of Kei, a little closer than Kei would think normal personal space would allow, and although Kei is trying to figure out what they’re thinking, his brain can’t seem to produce a single possibility.

“It’ll work out, Tsukishima-kun,” they tell him, and Kei thinks that the hand they bring up will pat him on the arm, on the shoulder maybe. Instead, Akaashi surprises him by brushing their thumb across Kei’s cheekbone. It’s annoying, how Kei’s breath catches, how the warmth of Akaashi’s palm on his cheek and the sudden speed-up of his heart rate makes him feel so, _so_ young.

Just once, twice more, Akaashi’s thumb smoothes over Kei’s skin, and then they drop their hand, turning around and asking Kei if he wants a drink.

Kei has never, _never_ had to scramble for normalcy, but his tongue feels heavy as he replies, his hands are damp as he sits down on the sofa and wipes them on the fabric of the joggers Akaashi’s lent him.

* * *

They drink tea and talk about the upcoming school year. The TV is playing in the background, but Akaashi only gets the three government channels and neither of them is paying attention to what’s on.

Kei doesn’t know what this is, this mood hanging over them. The casual gestures, casual _touches_ : Akaashi’s hand on his when they first sit down together, their shoulder bumping into Kei; Akaashi’s legs on Kei’s lap and Kei’s hands hesitantly settling on their knees.

They talk more. Or really, Akaashi talks more, asks questions, makes Kei think and talk about things he didn’t think he’d discuss with someone else. How he’s doing, getting to the end of the school year. Is he going to miss the others, does he think they’ll stay in touch?

“Yamaguchi is a given,” Kei says on that subject, “and I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to get away from the shrimp no matter how hard I ignore him.”

Akaashi laughs at that, then asks about Kei’s family (mum will be fine, dad will most likely ask when Kei will be visiting next every single time they call). They talk about their own parents, how they were hesitant to let Akaashi live on their own, but are now fine with it.

Kei can imagine why, if Akaashi’s room at home was anything like the apartment looks now, but… well, Akaashi is alive, they’re eating, the place is messy but not _dirty_. That’s surely already better than most students. Kei had had one look around the dorms before he’d asked his parents if he could get an apartment instead.

Then Akaashi moves their legs out from under Kei’s fingertips and stands up.

“It’s getting late, let’s go to bed,” they say, their voice soft and yellow and curling around the edge of Kei’s line of sight.

They extend their hand to Kei, and Kei thinks he’s only taking it to get up from the sofa, but Akaashi leads him to the hallway with their fingers slotted between Kei’s.

After brushing their teeth, Akaashi’s hand is on the small of Kei’s back, guiding him to their bedroom.

There, they don’t even look at Kei until they’ve both crawled under the blankets. Kei is staring up at the ceiling, but he can feel their eyes on his face.

He takes one breath, two, three, and then turns onto his side.

Akaashi is looking straight at him, but it somehow doesn’t feel like _staring_. In the low light, their eyes are jet black. Their gaze is curious, Kei can tell somehow, even without his glasses on. What that curiosity is about, exactly, is still a mystery to him.

The sound of the few cars rushing past the road outside is a red mark crossing over Akaashi’s face – bright, fading quickly every time. There’s an undertone of white from the next door neighbours’ indistinct conversation coming through the walls. Their breathing is blue, fluffy and round.

Kei can still see the violet rustle of the sheets when he closes his eyes in time for Akaashi’s lips to meet his.

It’s soft, and warm and Kei doesn’t even hesitate to reciprocate the gentle touch. Under the blankets, Akaashi’s hand finds his again and a little thrill runs up Kei’s spine.

When they break apart, neither of them is breathing heavily, but Kei still feels out of breath. Akaashi’s face is still so, so close, buried in Kei’s neck. Kei can feel their breath fan over his chest where the collar of his shirt leaves his skin bare.

They don’t move apart until well after Kei’s heart has slowed down to normal. At first, he thinks Akaashi has fallen asleep, despite the way their fingers keep squeezing Kei’s hand, but then they move back and kiss Kei one more time. Quick, only just on the corner of his mouth.

“Sleep well, Tsukishima-kun,” they whisper, before they let go of Kei’s hand, shuffling away and turning on their other side. Although their back is to Kei, it doesn’t feel like rejection.

Kei has to clear his throat before his voice will come out.

“Good night, Akaashi-san.”

* * *

When Kei’s alarm goes off in the morning, he shuts it up automatically, blindly swiping at his phone. He has half a mind to turn over and go back to sleep, but when he does, his foot bumps into Akaashi next to him.

He means to pull away quietly, but then Akaashi lets out a groan and when Kei looks over, they’re rubbing their face on their pillow. They’re lying flat on their stomach, one foot now hooked around Kei’s ankle, and they turn their head to meet Kei’s eyes.

“Mwng,” they mutter, and Kei can’t help but let out a laugh at that. So far, he’s never met anyone who’s worse at waking up than he is.

Laughing earns him a vindictive pinch on the arm, though. Kei narrows his eyes at Akaashi, who is now grinning at him, propping themself up on their elbows. Kei watches them for a bit, wondering where the chatty Akaashi from yesterday evening went to, what he can say to fill up the silence between them, wondering if he even has to.

Knowing he won’t get out of bed if he stays and dovers again, Kei kicks the blankets down and drags himself off of the mattress, reluctantly leaving the pleasant touch of Akaashi’s skin on his.

“Good morning, Akaashi-san,” he says, leaving the room to get himself ready for another day of flat hunting. Whatever this is between them – the soft looks, the unspoken agreement that all of this is fine – Kei wants to discuss it, and soon, but it doesn’t have to be right now.

* * *

Kei returns to Akaashi’s flat two hours before his train back north leaves.

He’s tired, _exhausted_ , and getting slightly worried about the prospect of possibly having to go into the dorms after all.

Today, just like yesterday, was filled with few suitable options, and although Kei has found two places he would consider, he can’t say he’s looking forward to either of them.

Before he can use the key Akaashi had given him that morning – a kiss on the cheek, a long moment of eye contact, another kiss but on the lips this time – the door swings open.

“How was today?” they ask him as they let him in. There’s a slight tilt to their head as they listen to Kei describe the day, watch him grab his bag and walk him back to the doorway. Every time Kei pauses, they lean slightly forward, then back again as he continues.

Maybe Kei is starting to get the hang of them, but he’s sure Akaashi has something to tell him.

“Thank you again for letting me stay over,” he finishes, turning around in the genkan, shoes on and ready to go. “Even though I haven’t managed to find a place.”

Akaashi shakes their head.

“It’s no problem. Actually,” they say, voice framing their face, like a sunset behind wispy clouds, “I happened to talk to my landlord today. There’s a one-bed flat at the end of the hallway here, and she’s looking for a lodger.”

Kei raises his eyebrows at that.

“For this building?”

Akaashi hums, pulling Kei in a little closer to them, effectively making Kei crowd them against the wall.

“It’s not a bad place. You know…” Their voice rises at the end of the sentence and Kei follows their line of sight, notices the way Akaashi’s hands aren’t just on Kei’s hips, their fingers are pinching at the hem of his jumper.

“Yes?” Kei asks. He leans forward a little, bends down.

He could kiss Akaashi like this.

“You should take it. It’d be nice to have you around.” Akaashi looks up, and their nose bumps into Kei’s lips. Kei can’t look away from them. “It would be nice to see what this could be.”

“I wouldn’t,” Kei starts, but his voice is hoarse, squeaky in a way that would normally make him want to turn around and cut the conversation, pretend there was nothing important for him to say. But well, it kind of is important this time. Or at least, it could be.

So, instead, he whispers, green and grey in the few millimeters between them.

“I wouldn’t object to that.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!! Please do leave a comment with your thoughts!


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